Baltimore passes housing bills (left); NJ TRANSIT renovates Mahwah Station; Maine eases ADU rules; Charlotte, NC, approves $19B transit plan; Liberia expands bus fleet (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
MARYLAND—Baltimore City Mayor Signs Several Bills That Aim to Reduce Housing Costs Over Time
Blair Sabol, WMAR Baltimore | November 3, 2025
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott signed four housing bills intended to reduce construction costs and improve long-term affordability by easing off-street parking requirements and removing two-stairway mandates in multistory housing. City leaders say the reforms will help attract and retain residents, though some remain skeptical about their lasting effect.
NJ TOD News
MAHWAH—NJ TRANSIT Makes Exterior Renovations at Mahwah Station
John Harrington, ROI NJ | November 7, 2025
NJ TRANSIT completed exterior renovations at Mahwah Station, adding a new roof, retaining wall, railings, and other safety and aesthetic upgrades. The work advances NJ TRANSIT’s effort to modernize stations and improve customer experience. It aligns with a Mahwah Station TOD Study conducted by the Transit Friendly Planning program at NJ TRANSIT.
JERSEY CITY—BLDG Management Details Proposed 1,300-Unit Jersey City Rental Project With ‘Sculptural’ Design, 20 Percent Affordable Housing
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | November 6, 2025
BLDG Management announced plans for a two-tower development with nearly 1,300 housing units and 29,000 sq. ft. of retail space in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District. The project sets aside 20 percent of its units as affordable housing and provides convenient transit access within walking distance of a PATH station, a ferry terminal, and two Hudson-Bergen Light Rail stops.
Here Are the Challenges Mikie Sherrill Faces as NJ’s Next Governor
John Reitmeyer, NJ Spotlight News | November 5, 2025
Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey’s next governor, will face major challenges across housing, affordability, and transit. She must secure funding for NJ TRANSIT after the corporate tax expires in 2028 and manage federal uncertainty surrounding the Gateway tunnel project. She must also address the state’s estimated 200,000-unit housing shortage and rising utility and healthcare costs.
JERSEY CITY—Construction Update: Growth and Stalled Visions in Jersey City’s Bergen-Lafayette
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | November 4, 2025
Housing construction has surged across Jersey City, filling long-vacant lots. In the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood, several mixed-use projects have added hundreds of new affordable units near transit. However, some larger projects—including 125 Monitor Street and Canal Crossing—remain stalled due to brownfield remediation requirements.
Transit and Equity News
HAWAII—How Parking Spot Mandates Affect Affordable Housing in Honolulu
Ashley Mizuo, Hawaii Public Radio | November 6, 2025
A Hawaii Appleseed Center report finds that rental projects provide 19 percent fewer parking spaces per unit since Honolulu eliminated parking mandates for urban and transit-oriented housing in 2020. The policy has lowered development costs and rents, but community concerns about street parking and alternative transportation options persist.
NORTH CAROLINA—Charlotte Breaks Ground on Barton South, a New Affordable Housing Project
Walker Lawson, WCNC Charlotte | November 6, 2025
Charlotte has begun construction on a 140-unit affordable housing project, funded by the city’s $100 million housing bond. Located within walking distance of two Lynx Blue Line light rail stations, the complex will give residents easy access to jobs, transit, and daily necessities. The development is expected to open by fall 2026.
ILLINOIS—Illinois Legislature Adopts ‘People Over Parking Act’ to Right-Size Parking Requirements in Transit-Served Areas
Steven Vance, Streetsblog Chicago | October 31, 2025
The Illinois Senate passed SB 2111, creating a funding source to help Chicago-area transit agencies close budget gaps and avoid service cuts. The bill also includes the People Over Parking Act, which eliminates minimum parking requirements for developments within a half-mile of rail or ferry terminals. The reform could affect hundreds of sites statewide, including 168 Metra stations outside Chicago.
MAINE—Maine Housing Crisis Gets Boost With Expansion of Accessory Dwelling Units
Chris Costa, News Center Maine | October 30, 2025
Maine’s new law, LD 1829, encourages construction of accessory dwelling units by allowing up to three or four units per lot and easing design restrictions. Supporters say the reform empowers homeowners to help address the state’s 80,000-unit housing shortage, with modular builders already accelerating production to meet growing demand. The law takes effect in summer 2026.
Regional and National TOD News
VIRGINIA—Virginia Lawmakers Advance $400M Transit Funding Plan as Metro Costs Surge
Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury | November 7, 2025
Virginia lawmakers released recommendations to address rising transit costs and a $400 million annual need, proposing new revenue sources and reforms to support WMATA, VRE, and regional bus systems. The plan includes phasing out the 3 percent operating assistance cap, creating regional transit funds, and studying efficiency improvements, while prioritizing minimizing effects on low-income residents
NORTH CAROLINA—Mecklenburg Approves New Transit Tax to Pay for Multibillion Dollar Regional Plan
Mary Ramsey, The Charlotte Observer | November 6, 2025
Mecklenburg County voters approved a 1 percent sales tax increase to fund a $19 billion regional transportation plan, supporting new road, rail, and bus projects over the next 30 years. Forty percent of the revenue will fund the planned Red Line commuter rail and Silver Line light rail, both now under the jurisdiction of Charlotte’s new regional transit authority.
Transit Wins Big Again in Local Elections Across America
Kea Wilson, Streetsblog USA | November 6, 2025
Voters across the U.S. overwhelmingly approved transit funding measures on Election Day, securing billions of dollars for new rail, bus, and regional transportation projects and electing transit-friendly politicians. Major wins include Mecklenburg County’s $19 billion plan, Kalamazoo County’s fixed-route bus service tax, and Mountain Village’s gondola construction tax.
Election 2025 Could Reshape Development and Infrastructure
Mark F. Bonner, BisNow | November 4, 2025
Recent state and city elections across the U.S. will influence housing, zoning, infrastructure, and commercial real estate. Key results include New York City ballot measures to streamline affordable housing approvals, Texas propositions funding water infrastructure and exempting business property taxes, and California’s Proposition 50 returning congressional redistricting to the legislature. These outcomes are expected to shape project financing and development patterns in 2026. (Article access may require free account sign-up.)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—To Create Abundant Housing, Ignore the YIMBY Playbook
Brian Shearer, Washington Monthly | November 2, 2025
The YIMBY movement has long championed zoning reform, reduced regulation, and smaller governments to spur private housing development. Washington, D.C. is now taking a different approach, using direct government action to fund affordable housing, expand transit to new neighborhoods, and build grocery stores in food deserts. As a result, D.C. is adding homes faster than sprawling southern cities like Houston.
International TOD News
European Commission Sets Goal to Slash Train Times Across the Continent
Feargus O’Sullivan, Bloomberg | November 6, 2025
The European Commission unveiled a $400 billion plan to connect all major EU cities with high-speed rail by 2040, cutting travel times and encouraging a shift from cars and planes to trains. The proposal emphasizes affordability, competition, and long-term sustainability, with estimated indirect benefits of $867 billion.
SOUTH KOREA—28-Story Mixed-Use Complex Planned Near Yeomchang Station… SH Joins Transit-Oriented Revitalization Project
Han Jinjoo, Asian Business Daily | November 6, 2025
Seoul approved a 28-story mixed-use, transit-oriented redevelopment near Yeomchang Station, with 414 housing units and startup, educational, and community facilities. The project, led by the public developer SH Corporation, also includes street widening, new pedestrian spaces, and expanded public services.
LIBERIA—Public Transport Receives Boost
William Harmon, Liberian Observer | November 5, 2025
Liberia’s National Transit Authority introduced 35 new TATA buses as part of a 60-vehicle fleet to restore affordable, reliable public transit. The initiative aims to rebuild state-run services after years of neglect, high fares, and reliance on private operators.